BlackBerry Z10: too little too late or the shining jewel in the crown? With the recent release of the new BlackBerry Z10 in certain countries, consumers are opting for the latter. Early sales reports show that the demand for this new phone is extremely high and even that pre-order sales have exceeded iPhone sales for the last three months in Canada.
While BlackBerry once dominated the smartphone market five years ago, it has fallen considerably behind offering no strong competition to Apple’s iPhone or Google’s Android platform. After numerous delays had devoted BlackBerry fans either sticking to their older handsets or switching to a competitors phone, those who’ve layed their hands on this latest release say that it was well worth the wait.
However the proverbial ‘afterglow’, Reuters puts it, seems to have faded considerably since the unveiling of the BlackBerry Z10 mobile phone. Reports about its success seem to be mixed, with some touting the new Z10 as the answer to the iPhone whilst other reviews have been rather lukewarm saying that the phone brings nothing new to the table – certainly nothing that will rescue RIM (Research In Motion) from its declining popularity. At present BlackBerry is sitting with only a 5% market share which puts it way behind Android and iOS, so it is clear to see how much work BlackBerry still has to do.
When comparing the Z10 to the current two leading phone, Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy’s S III one begins to see that this phone is relatively similar to its competitors. Offering similar weights, sizes and display the real power of the Z10 will be in the brand new BlackBerry 10 OS interface and its software which is said to be far superior to past generations.
While there are many similarities between these three phones, it’s in the app department where the Z10 falls short. Many of the popular apps such as Skype and Instagram are missing from this platform and for some users will be a big deal, whilst for others they will make do with what is available. For the latter, those who are consistently loyal to the brand, they will continue to customise their phone to their own particular tastes and requirements and probably won’t even be bothered by the lack of certain applications. However, BlackBerry, has done a superb job of bringing many top games to the platform which for many will be a big draw card. But as always, there are many online games which are available as free downloads, if what BlackBerry is offering doesn’t suit your needs. Check out online Games in SA!